Lychnis plant named ‘Rolly&#39;s Favorite’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lychnis  plant named ‘Rolly&#39;s Favorite’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal clumping growth habit; dense and bushy plants; freely flowering habit; and bright red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lychnis hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Rolly's Favorite’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lychnisplant, botanically known as Lychnis flos-jovis, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘Rolly's Favorite’.

The new Lychnis originated from a chance cross-pollination in 1998 of anunnamed selection of Lychnis flos-jovis, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with an unknown selection of Lychnis flos-jovis as themale, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Rolly's Favorite was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny ofthe state cross-pollination in a controlled environment in 2000 inRijpwetering, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rijpwetering,The Netherlands, since 2001, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Lychnis are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Rolly's Favorite have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Rolly's Favorite’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rolly's Favorite’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal clumping growth habit, dense and bushy plants.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Bright red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lychnis differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lychnis are stronger than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Flower color of plants of the new Lychnis was more intense        than flower color of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Lychnis can be compared to plants of the Lychniscultivar Lychjen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,139. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands,plants of the new Lychnis differed from plants of the cultivar Lychjenin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lychnis were more compact than plants of        the cultivar Lychjen.    -   2. Plants of the new Lychnis had shorter leaves than plants of        the cultivar Lychjen.    -   3. Plants of the new Lychnis had single flowers whereas plants        of the cultivar Lychjen had double flowers.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Lychnis were darker in color        than flowers of plants of the cultivar Lychjen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newLychnis.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical plants of ‘Rolly's Favorite’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a close-up viewof typical flowers of ‘Rolly's Favorite’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical flower bud and leaves of ‘Rolly's Favorite’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grownduring the spring in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands under outdoor fieldconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 7 to20° C. and night temperatures ranged from 1 to 10° C. Plants used forthe photographs and description were grown for two growing seasons.

-   Botanical classification: Lychnis flos-jovis cultivar Rolly's    Favorite.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Lychnis            flos-jovis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Lychnis            flos-jovis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one month at 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; whitish brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading; freely            basal clumping perennial; dense and bushy plants; leaves,            basal; flowering stems arise from the root crown.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for use as a border plant and in            containers. Plant height, soil level to top of flowers:            About 44 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 53 cm.        -   Branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 39. Length:            About 27.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About            6.7 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Strength: Strong. Color:            144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal or opposite;            sessile. Length: About 6.6 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Acute to slightly apiculate. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely            pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing            foliage, upper surface: 137A to 137B; towards the base, 144B            to 144C. Developing foliage, lower surface: 138A to 138B;            towards the base, 144C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 137A; towards the base, 144A to 144B. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C; towards the base,            143A. Venation, upper surface: 137A. Venation, lower            surface: 143A to 143B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flowers arranged in terminal            compound cymes. Flowering stems, erect to slightly outwardly            spreading; flowers face upright, outwardly or drooping.            Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from late            spring to early summer in The Netherlands.        -   Quantity.—Freely flowering with about 42 flowers and flower            buds per flowering stem; about 1,600 flowers and flower buds            per plant.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 18.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 183B;            towards the base, 183C to 183D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: About five petals fused into a slightly            flattened tube. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Retuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; satiny. Color: When            opening, upper surface: N74B. When opening, lower surface:            72C. Fully opened, upper surface: 73A; color becoming closer            to N78A with development. Fully opened, lower surface: N74C.            Throat and tube: Initially 145D; color becoming closer to            157B with development.        -   Petaloids.—Arrangement: About five petaloids at the base of            each petal. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Spatulate. Apex: Praemorse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: N155A. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: N155A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About five sepals fused into a tubular            calyx. Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: 146B to 146C;            stripes, 183D. When opening, lower surface: 183B; towards            the base, 183C to 183D. Fully opened, upper surface: 146D;            stripes, 183B to 183C. Fully opened, lower surface: 187B to            187C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 cm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 20° from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A to 146B; towards the            apex, tinted with 187A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 25° from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            ten. Filament length: About 1.2 cm. Filament color: Close to            155A. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly            oblong. Anther color: 155A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Lighter than 155A. Pistils: No pistils observed.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Lychnis have not been noted to be resistant to    pathogens or pests common to Lychnis.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lychnis have been observed to    tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the Lychnis have been observed to    be tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and to tolerate temperatures as    high as 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lychnis plant named ‘Rolly'sFavorite’, as illustrated and described.